


Masquerade

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [12]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 16:08:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5055166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(February 1987) VIPER hires a shapeshifter to impersonate Julie Dormyer in an attempt to take over ProStar.  Will the rest of TASK FORCE discover the deception in time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Masquerade

**Author's Note:**

> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Senior Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Zes'arou Al'Gari Vikon (AKA Sage), exiled Varanyi psionic
>   * Jack Snyder (AKA Minuteman), independent trucker, brick with stretching powers
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Kim Culhane (AKA Copycat), disgustingly-powerful mimic
> 

> 
> **others**
> 
>   * Shina Arikawa, butler/chauffer/bodyguard for Julie Dormyer (her 'Alfred')
>   * Kevin, IT engineer for ProStar
>   * Thomas Malkin (AKA Silverhawk), independent St. Louis area superhero, weapons specialist
>   * Theodore Jameson, Sr., Board of Directors, ProStar
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]]

**PROLOGUE** : Suite 1401, Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park, Plano, TX. Tuesday evening

(Julie 'Ladyhawk' Dormyer's Danger Sense screams as the reporter for _Forbes_ Magazine reaches her bare hand out to her)

**Ladyhawk** (backflipping over the sofa): "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

(her vault lands her next to the dinner table. Almost by reflex, she grabs the nearest chair and swings it overhand at the reporter, now running toward her as if to attack. With a 'CRASH!,' the chair disintegrates across the reporter's head and she drops unconscious)

(as Julie catches her breath, the features of the reporter swim and become those of a red-haired woman. Julie's jaw drops open in shock)

**Ladyhawk** : "A *mimic*?!?"

(stunned pause)

**Ladyhawk** : "I need to get out of here, now!"

(she runs for the front door of the suite. The knob has a locked box over it with a VIPER logo on it, preventing Julie from using it)

**Ladyhawk** : "Oh, just GREAT!"

(she rummages around in her purse, and produces a set of lockpicks in short order)

**Ladyhawk** (starting to work on the lockbox): "Good thing I always accessorize."

(a moment passes as she calms herself down by working on the lockbox)

**Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[wow. What would have happened if she had actually TOUCHED me?]] (beat) [[would anyone even know I had been copied by an impostor?]]

(another moment passes working the lockpicks)

**Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[I could think of a false thought. One that the mimic would think was mine but the people around me would know wasn't anything I'd say or do]] (beat) [[yeah, that'd work]]

(the lockbox is being unusually stubborn tonight, resisting Julie's efforts to pick it open)

**Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[I could screw up the lunch order at Asia Palace. Ted would catch that, except he's in St. Louis talking with McDonnell Douglas for the next few days]] (beat) [[no, I'd need to do something that *Bob* would notice]]

(Julie's Danger Sense screams for attention again. She turns around, and the red-haired woman has recovered from being knocked out and has trapped her in the suite's entry way)

**Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[Bob, I l...]]

(the woman's bare hands make contact with Julie's face. She freezes, then the woman's features blur and swim for a couple of seconds until Julie drops to the kitchen floor, dazed. The woman's features finally stabilize into an exact replica of Julie)

**Faux!Julie** (beat): "Well, THAT was harder than it needed to be."

(she kneels and begins exchanging clothes with Julie. Though conscious, Julie does not resist)

**Faux!Julie** (redressing herself in Julie's clothes): "So many memories... so many secrets, too!"

(After a minute, she stands up)

**Faux!Julie** (to Julie's drooling and dazed form): "A pity that VIPER only hired me to deliver your company to them. They couldn't afford me if I offered to tell them who you *really* were."

* * *

(near Lambert International Airport, St. Louis, MO. Simultaneous with Prologue scene)

(A semi cab is parked behind a Motel 6 as aircraft taking off and landing roar overhead. There is a blur next to it, and Ted 'Ranger' Jameson appears next to the driver's side. He knocks, and Jack 'Minuteman' Snyder opens the door)

**Minuteman** : "Howdy, sir!"

**Ranger** : "You brought him?"

**Minuteman** : "Vikon's in back, waking up."

**Ranger** : "Are you sure you don't want to help out?"

**Minuteman** (tugging at his jacket): "I'm not exactly dressed for it." (beat) "Besides, you need people who can sneak around for this job. I'm a bull in a china shop who's spent all day drivin' up the road from Dallas."

**Ranger** : "I had to ask. You were the one who tipped us off to the VIPER shipments coming through St. Louis."

**Minuteman** : "I don't wanna see you guys face any more of the weapons you did two years ago. Or see anything worse used." /* 'Escalation' */

(there is a flurry of activity from the other side of the cab and Zes'arou Al'Gari 'Sage' Vikon climbs out of the passenger side dressed in jeans and a hoodie)

**Ranger** (to Sage): "Travel well?"

**Sage** : "Any trip where I do not have to expend energy to look human is a good trip." (turns to Jack) "Mr. Snyder, thank you for the use of your sleeper cab."

**Minuteman** (nods): "Glad to oblige."

**Ranger** (to Minuteman): "When will you be back?"

**Minuteman** : "I've got a load goin' to Chi-town tomorrow mornin', then one to Indy, then one back here... Two days from now."

**Ranger** : "Leave a message when you're ready to pick Vikon up again."

**Minuteman** : "Will do, Ranger."

(he closes up the cab and enters the Motel 6 as another aircraft flies overhead)

**Sage** : "Miss Dormyer would have been better for this mission."

**Ranger** : "She had an interview with _Forbes_ that she couldn't reschedule, and I was going to be here anyway trying to sell McDonnell Douglas on pulson jets." (beat, claps Vikon on a shoulder) "Relax. With you here now, this will work."

**Sage** (walking off with Ranger): "I hope you're right."

* * *

(Bob Hawkins' Lab, ProStar, Plano, TX. Wednesday morning. The sign out front reads 'Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition')

**Starforce** (on the phone): "Look, is there any way you can get Silicon Graphics to expedite the delivery?" (long pause) "Are they saying it's MY fault they shipped me an IRIS 3000 when I asked for a H1000?" (beat) "I don't care! I *need* holographic processing for the modelling I do..."

(there is a knock at the door)

**Starforce** (on the phone): "Wait one."

(he taps an icon marked CORRIDOR on his existing workstation. The screen jumps, and reveals Faux!Julie waiting on the other side with a bag of Chinese food)

**Starforce** (internal monologue): [[okay, that's different]] (verbally to door) "Come in."

(Faux!Julie enters and smiles tentatively. Bob holds up a finger and points at the phone. She nods)

**Starforce** (on the phone): "Hey, Kevin, can we continue this later? Something just came up..." (beat) "Get your mind out of the gutter." (beat, laughs) "Just remember a letter of recommendation to Professor Overhauser rides on this. Talk with you this afternoon, bye."

(he hangs up)

**Faux!Julie** (walking over to a free lab bench): "What was that about?"

**Starforce** : "Kevin from IT. Purdue grad, looking to go back and get an advanced degree in Physics in another year or so." (beat) "Silicon Graphics shipped me the wrong workstation and he's been caught in the middle trying to get the screw-up resolved."

**Faux!Julie** : "Oh."

**Starforce** : "I'm not complaining, but *why* are you here?"

**Faux!Julie** : "It's lunchtime. Duh."

**Starforce** : "You've never come down here just for lunch."

**Faux!Julie** : "It's sort of raining outside. I had to eat somewhere."

**Starforce** : "What's wrong with your office? Other than that I've only seen the inside of it once..."

**Faux!Julie** (taking their lunches out of the bag): "Excuse me for thinking you'd want a little companionship."

**Starforce** (beat): "That's never bothered you before."

**Faux!Julie** (beat): "Things change."

(she puts a box of food down in front of Bob)

**Starforce** : "What brought *this* on?"

**Faux!Julie** : "WHY do you always have to be so suspicious of me?"

**Starforce** : "For starters, because you keep me exiled to the Guest Apartment." (beat, opens his box) "Would you like me to go on?"

(he stops, sniffing something unfamiliar from his lunch)

**Starforce** : "Uh, Ninjette? My standard lunch order is General Tso's. You gave me Szechuan Beef."

(awkward pause, then Faux!Julie switches the boxes on the lab bench)

**Faux!Julie** (giggling): "Sorry."

**Starforce** : "Julie, what is WRONG with you?"

**Faux!Julie** : "I'm sorry, Bob! This is all kind of new to me..."

(long pause, held gaze)

**Starforce** (putting his chopsticks into the General Tso's): "Me, too."

* * *

(Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park, Plano, TX. Wednesday evening)

(Kevin from IT is at the bar, occasionally glancing at his watch. Faux!Julie walks up to the bar)

**Faux!Julie** : "Hi!"

**Kevin** : "Hi! Haven't seen you here before..."

**Faux!Julie** : "I had some business to take care of after work." (beat) "Obviously, you've been here before. Any drinks to stay away from?"

**Kevin** (drinking a Michelob Dark): "The margarita's not particularly good."

**Bartender** (walking up): "What'll you have, Ma'am?"

**Faux!Julie** : "Uh, 7&7, please."

**Bartender** : "Coming right up."

**Kevin** : "Strong drink, there..."

**Faux!Julie** : "It's a favorite of a friend of mine."

(the bartender deposits the drink in front of Faux!Julie, who pays him immediately)

**Faux!Julie** (to the bartender): "Keep the change."

**Bartender** : "Thank you."

(he moves away to check on other customers. Kevin surreptitiously checks his watch)

**Faux!Julie** (to Kevin): "Waiting for someone?"

**Kevin** : "I was supposed to meet someone tonight. An account manager at Comstock who's a big _Doctor Who_ fan."

**Faux!Julie** : "Oh. I have a couple of friends who like that show."

**Kevin** (interested): "Really?"

(Long pause, held gaze)

**Kevin** : "Hey, wanna go get a booth?"

**Faux!Julie** : "Aren't you waiting on your date?"

**Kevin** (standing up): "She was supposed to be here 45 minutes ago. I think I've been stood up."

**Faux!Julie** : "Oh." (beat, stands up with her drink) "I suppose so, then."

(they get up with their drinks and locate an empty corner booth with poor lighting)

**Kevin** : "This good?"

**Faux!Julie** (sitting down): "Yeah, sure."

**Kevin** (sitting down): "You sure I'm not going to keep you from your business here?"

**Faux!Julie** : "It's pretty simple and will only take me a few minutes."

(awkward pause)

**Kevin** : "You're being mysterious."

**Faux!Julie** : "I have my reasons."

**Kevin** : "Do they involve a security clearance?"

**Faux!Julie** (giggling): "I'm not in the military!"

**Kevin** : "But you've had some association with them to make that connection."

**Faux!Julie** : "My company does work for PRIMUS and DARPA. I was also recruited by an Air Force five years ago, but I turned them down." (beat, sips her drink) "Are you in the military?"

**Kevin** : "I washed out of Naval ROTC in college. Bum knee."

**Faux!Julie** : "I'm sorry."

**Kevin** : "What's done is done, and there's more than one way to become an astronaut."

**Faux!Julie** : "What are you doing in Dallas if you want to be an astronaut?"

**Kevin** : "Working so I can pay for grad school on my own."

**Faux!Julie** (raising her cocktail glass): "I love a man with a plan."

**Kevin** (clinking his beer glass with her cocktail glass): "I'm glad you do."

(in one of those freak occurrences of nature which typifies life, Faux!Julie's glass slips out of her hand and shatters)

**Faux!Julie** : "Ohmigod..."

**Kevin** : "Crap!" (looks around, setting his beer down to grab a napkin from around one of the silverware sets at the booth) "Here, let me help..."

**Faux!Julie** (alarmed): "NO..."

(his hand touches hers)

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. Thirty seconds later)

(the phone rings as Shina Arikawa glides out of the laundry room and into the main hall between the Kitchen and Dining Room)

**Shina** (internal monologue): [[I wonder if that is Julie-san? She is late tonight]]

(she finds the kithchen extension and picks the headset up)

**Shina** : "Dormyer Manor. May I help..."

**Ladyhawk** (interrupting, frantic): "Shina, this is Julie! I'm trapped at the Hilton at Granite Park, Suite 1401! Please hurry, I don't know how much time I have before she gets back..."

**Shina** : "Do not panic, Julie-san. I am on my way."

**Ladyhawk** (frantic): "Hurry!"

**Shina** : "Shall I have Master Robert suit up?"

**Ladyhawk** (angry): "HURRY!!"

(the call disconnects. Shina checks the action on her Desert Eagle, then she glides for the Mud Room and Garage)

* * *

(Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park. 15 minutes later)

(leaving the sedan in the fire lane behind a taxi, Shina glides rapidly for the front door)

**Hotel Staffer** : "Ma'am, you can't leave your car there..."

**Shina** : "I will only be here a moment."

(she stops briefly and gives the staffer a sultry look while brushing the back of her hand along his arm)

**Hotel Staffer** (stammering): "Well, uh... okay, but only a moment."

**Shina** : "Thank you."

(a moment of looking around reveals the location of the elevators. She glides rapidly toward them)

**Shina** (internal monologue): [[Suite 1401. Wasn't that where she had the interview with the _Forbes_ magazine reporter last night?]]

(she turns the corner, but before she can see where the call button for the elevators are she spots Faux!Julie)

**Shina** : "Julie-san! Are you OK?"

**Faux!Julie** (startled): "Uh... yeah!" (beat) "I... wasn't expecting you so soon!"

**Shina** : "I came as soon as you called. Who did this to you?"

**Faux!Julie** : "Male, red-haired, about Nerd-boy's height. I've seen him at ProStar before, I think he works there."

(beat)

**Shina** (internal monologue): [[she distinctly said to me "I don't know how much time I have before *she* gets back" when she called me. Something doesn't add up here]]

**Faux!Julie** (over her shoulder, turning for the lobby): "Can we LEAVE?"

**Shina** (gliding toward the front doors): "Certainly, Julie-san. Would you like me to drive you?"

**Faux!Julie** (following): "No, my car's in the parking lot. I'm good."

**Shina** : "Then at least let me follow you home?"

**Faux!Julie** : "Yeah, whatever."

* * *

(East St. Louis, IL. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(the Gateway Arch gleams in its spotlights from just across the Mississippi River as Sage casually strolls into an abandoned factory with a squad of VIPER agents)

**Sage** : ((if anybody has surveillance video which is being watched in real-time I will be seen for who I am))

**Ranger** : ((these agents don't strike me as being anywhere NEAR as competent as those in Dallas. Stop worrying, you're doing fine))

**Sage** : ((I don't see YOU walking into the front door of a VIPER nest like you belonged here))

**Ranger** : ((I'm the tactical reserve. If we do this correctly, no punching on my part will be necessary))

(long and tense pause)

**Sage** : ((okay. I'm into their admin office))

**Ranger** : ((and you still haven't been made. Your fears have been baseless))

**Sage** : ((what is it that Dr. Hawkins says in similar situations? The night is still young?))

**Ranger** : ((if I wanted snark I would have brought *him* instead of you. Focus, Vikon))

(another tense pause)

**Sage** : ((I have found shipping records for merchandise transfers to the DFW area))

**Ranger** : ((bingo)) (beat) ((anything stand out in them?))

**Sage** : ((the phone numbers listed on every receipt I have seen so far appear to come from the 513 area code))

**Ranger** (beat): ((not ringing a bell. What about addresses))

**Sage** : ((none listed, but a zip code of 45401 is consistently shown as the sender))

**Ranger** : ((hm. Also not ringing a bell))

(a silvery, exotic-looking car speeds past Ranger's position outside the factory. VIPER weaponry start firing at it)

**Ranger** : ((CRAP! A local hero decided to go nest-busting tonight!))

**Sage** : ((would you like me to stay put?))

**Ranger** : ((yes, please!))

(a silver-clad human ejects out of the futuristic car, throwing a shield at the VIPER agents attempting to prevent his entry. Ranger sees a squad of agents setting up to fire behind the superhero, and he performs a move-by sweep to take them out)

**Silver-Clad Human** (to Ranger): "Thank you!"

**Ranger** (taking down another two VIPER agents): "My pleasure!"

(another VIPER agent suddenly starts firing on his fellow agents)

**Ranger** (internal monologue): [[thank you, Vikon!]]

(the battle is short, and decidedly one-sided against VIPER. By segment 12, all the agents are KO'ed)

(the silver-clad human stands in front of Ranger, catching his breath)

**Ranger** : "Silverhawk, right?"

**Silverhawk** : "Correct." (beat) "A Varanyi and a speedster. TASK FORCE from Dallas/Fort Worth, right?"

**Ranger** (impressed): "Correct!"

**Silverhawk** : "And WHY are DFW-area superheroes investigating the St. Louis area?"

**Ranger** : "Our local VIPER nest has been receiving weapons for the past two years which are *not* part of VIPER's standard agent load-out. Our contacts have traced the shipments to St. Louis, either produced locally or trans-shipped from a different location."

**Silverhawk** : "VIPER is using non-standard weaponry against superheroes?"

**Ranger** : "Weapons effective against both Spiritual Warrior and Starforce, if that gives you any clue as to their capabilities."

**Silverhawk** (beat): "Damn."

**Ranger** : "Yeah."

**Silverhawk** : "Did you find out anything?"

**Ranger** : "The weapons shipments going to Dallas were transferred here from an originating zip code of 45401."

**Silverhawk** (beat): "That's somewhere in Ohio or Indiana."

**Ranger** (beat): "Until just now, I did NOT know that!"

**Silverhawk** : "I know an independent hero in Cincinnati. I'll bump your information past him and see what he knows."

**Ranger** : "Please and thank you!"

**Silverhawk** : "Is there any way I can reach you?"

**Ranger** : "We're sanctioned through PRIMUS. You can send us anything you find through them."

**Silverhawk** : "I'm not. That might be a problem."

**Ranger** : "Dammit..."

**Silverhawk** : "I can work around it." (beat, turns toward the Silver Streak) "I'll be in touch."

**Ranger** : "Thanks."

* * *

(ProStar, Plano TX. Thursday late morning)

(Bob is in IT for yet another round of workstation procurement bingo)

**Kevin** (hanging up phone): "Okay, that was the sales rep for SGI. They'll have your H1000 here on Monday, no charge to ProStar."

**Starforce** : "Good." (beat) "I used to think I had these types of problems only with electrogravitics research..."

(Kevin massages his head and winces in pain)

**Starforce** (continuing): "You OK?"

**Kevin** : "I will be."

**Starforce** : "Partied too hard last night?"

**Kevin** : "I'm not sure." (shakes his head) "I met a girl last night at the Hilton, we went to a booth in the bar there, then the next thing I know she's gone, an hour's passed, and I have the world's worst hangover!"

**Starforce** : "Did she slip you something?"

**Kevin** : "She might have. I don't know, really."

**Starforce** : "What did she look like?"

**Kevin** : "So you can bump into her yourself?"

**Starforce** : "So I know who to stay away from."

**Kevin** : "Well, she had dark blonde hair, an incredible figure, and a voice that doesn't do justice to the word, 'sultry'..."

(Kevin now notices the expression on Bob's face. It's not pretty)

**Starforce** (coldly and menacingly): "Hands. OFF. Of her. THAT is your only warning."

(in spite of Bob being less physically imposing, Kevin finds himself backing up a step)

**Kevin** : "Whoa, there. Calm down, now!" (beat) "I gather you know her?"

**Starforce** (coldly): "For future reference, her name is Julie Dormyer." (beat) "Look her up in ProStar's Annual Report."

(Kevin recognizes the name. His jaw drops in shock)

**Kevin** : "You're doing the Chairman of the Board?"

**Starforce** (angry, turning to leave the IT department): "Good DAY, Kevin."

(he makes it most of the way back to the stairs before Faux!Julie steps out of the elevator)

**Faux!Julie** : "Oh, hi Bob!" (beat, looks at his face) "What's wrong?"

(awkward pause, held gaze)

**Starforce** : "I'm not sure whether or not to believe what the IT guy just told me."

**Faux!Julie** : "Your problem with the workstation, right?"

(something tells Bob to ride with Julie's wrong guess instead of confronting her about her time with Kevin the previous night)

**Starforce** : "Yeah, that. Latest version is that I'll have the correct one by Monday next."

**Faux!Julie** : "Well, that's good news."

**Starforce** : "I'll believe it when it's up and running in my lab." (beat, looks at her portfolio) "You're loaded for bear."

**Faux!Julie** : "Board meeting. Boring stuff that needs to be done to keep the stockholders happy."

**Starforce** : "When you say it like that, you make it sound awful."

(Faux!Julie giggles. Long pause, held gaze)

**Faux!Julie** : "Hey, you wanna do something tonight?"

**Starforce** (beat): "What?"

**Faux!Julie** : "Do you want to go out tonight?"

(Bob looks at her strangely for a moment)

**Starforce** : "All right, who are you and what have you done with Julie Dormyer?"

(For a fraction of a second, Faux!Julie looks panicked)

**Faux!Julie** : "I... thought you'd be interested in unwinding somewhere after work tonight! What's wrong with you, Bob?"

**Starforce** : "Your change of attitude toward me is a little sudden, that's all." (beat) "I think Bowser's playing at the Soho in Addison again. The grilled salmon there is pretty good."

**Faux!Julie** : "I'll come up and get you when I'm back from work." (smiling, turns around to walk down the hallway) "See you then!"

**Starforce** : "See you."

(he looks at her walking away for a moment before entering the stairway)

* * *

(Motel 6 St. Louis Airport. Thursday evening)

(the message light is blinking on the desk phone as Ted enters his hotel room)

**Sage** (reading a book): "The comm device has been... what is the human expression? Ringing off the hook?"

**Ranger** (sighs): "That's rarely a good sign."

**Sage** : "It is a very annoying sound."

(Ted picks the handset up as he reaches for a pen and memo pad. He scribbles some things for about a minute as he dumps voicemail, then hangs up)

**Ranger** : "Only one message, but it's my father."

**Sage** : "I gather that he normally doesn't call you on business trips?"

**Ranger** : "No." (beat, picks up the handset again and starts dialing) "He also usually doesn't sound so *pissed* when he calls, either."

(the phone rings)

**TJSr** (over phone): "Hello?"

**Ranger** : "Yeah, Dad, this is Ted. I got your message."

**TJSr** (over phone): "What the HELL does your Chairman of the Board think she's DOING?!?"

**Ranger** : "Could you be more specific?"

**TJSr** (over phone): "The equity stake proposal from ACI? The one she tried to get the board to accept this afternoon?"

**Ranger** : "Wait a minute! WHAT equity stake proposal from ACI?"

**TJSr** (over phone): "You mean, you didn't KNOW?"

**Ranger** : "WHY would we want to be accepting *anything* from ACI? We accept ANY business proposal from Franklin Stone, we might as well hand a board seat over to VIPER!! Julie should know that as much as I do!"

**TJSr** (over phone): "I was thinking more about how redundant ProStar would be in ACI's portfolio, considering that Nichols Research is a wholly-owned subsidiary of theirs, but what you just said is basically what Ferris told me after the meeting this afternoon." (beat) "In somewhat more colorful language."

**Ranger** : "You're blocking her, aren't you?"

**TJSr** (over phone): "Ferris and I have rallied the rest of the board to block her for now. I'm not sure how long that's gonna last, with the number of zeroes to the left of the decimal point in ACI's proposal."

**Ranger** : "Any idea what brought this on? I had NO clue when I left for St. Louis that this was going to happen!"

**TJSr** (over phone): "None whatsoever."

(tense pause)

**TJSr** (over phone): "How soon are you going to be back?"

**Ranger** : "I can't make it back until the day after tomorrow. I've got meetings with McDonnel Douglas all day tomorrow."

**TJSr** (over phone): "We need you back sooner."

**Ranger** : "This trip is important if ProStar is going to grow its market share in the aerospace sector!"

**TJSr** (over phone): "Son, your trip won't amount to a hill o' beans if ProStar don't exist as a company when you come back!"

**Ranger** (beat): "Dammit!"

**TJSr** (over phone): "Just so you're prepared, our current worst-case scenario is that you come back from St. Louis and discover that we've picked you as the new Chairman of the Board."

**Ranger** : "We really need to find out if there is something happening in Julie's life of which we're not currently aware."

**TJSr** (over phone): "Like a former date of hers blackmailing her?"

**Ranger** : "If she wouldn't keep beating them up at the end of her date nights, we wouldn't both be considering that as a serious scenario."

**TJSr** (over phone): "Maybe the board could order her to start datin' that captive scientist of hers in her Guest Apartment?"

(in spite of himself, Ted laughs)

**Ranger** : "Maybe the board should try that before they make me its Chairman?"

(This gets Ted's father to laugh, too)

**Ranger** : "Keep me posted. I'll see what I can do to get back any sooner."

**TJSr** (over phone): "Thank you, son."

**Ranger** : "Oh, before you go. Get Ferris to call Shina. Perhaps something is happening with Julie that she's noticed."

**TJSr** (over phone): "Good idea, I'll have him do that tomorrow. Good night."

**Ranger** : "'night, Dad."

(Ted hangs up the phone, then looks at Vikon)

**Sage** (glowing eyes fading): "I was eavesdropping on what you were hearing. It is a great timesaver."

**Ranger** : "It is also a violation of personal privacy. We're in America, Vikon, not the Varanyi Empire."

**Sage** : "Are you sure that this idea of 'personal privacy' is not an artifact of your species' general mental blindness?"

(Ted looks at Vikon in disbelief, then shakes his head)

**Ranger** : "You need to talk to Kent some more about human morals." (beat) "Let's suit up. I'm feeling a need to punch some VIPER jaws right now."

* * *

(Carrolton Park Church, Carrolton, TX. Friday, late morning)

(the phone rings on Rev. Kent 'Spiritual Warrior' Christiansen's desk)

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Christiansen."

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "Kent? It's Bowser!"

**Spiritual Warrior** (eyes widening): "Why are *you* calling?"

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "What's going on with Bob?"

**Spiritual Warrior** (beat): "Why do you ask?"

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "He and Julie attended a gig I was playing at last night."

(awkward pause)

**Spiritual Warrior** : "So?"

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "They were behaving like they were on a date."

**Spiritual Warrior** (beat): "Well, they seem to have feelings for each other..."

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "But they've never ACTED on them before!"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "What about when we time-travelled to World War 2?"

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "That was different from what I saw last night."

(tense pause)

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Have you talked with anyone else?"

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "Ted and Vikon are out of town until the weekend following up on that VIPER-related lead Minuteman gave us."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Perhaps you should call Ms. Arikawa at Dormyer Manor, then. If there has been something happening with Bob or Julie, she's sure to have noticed."

**Mr. Bassman** (over phone): "I know I've got the Manor number here somewhere..." (beat) "Found it. I'll call her right now."

(the call disconnects before Kent can say good-bye)

**Spiritual Warrior** (internal monologue): [[he sounded rattled. I hope there's nothing wrong]]

(shrugging, he goes back to work on his sermon notes)

* * *

(Bowser Bastable's apartment, Carrolton, TX. One second later)

(Bowser is holding the phone while it rings)

**Shina** (over phone): "Dormyer Manor. How may I help you?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Shina? This is Bowser."

**Shina** (beat, over phone): "Master Frederick! This is... unusual!"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Tell me about it."

**Shina** (over phone): "What is wrong?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Is there anything going on with either Bob or Julie that we need to know about?"

(tense pause)

**Mr. Bassman** : "Hello?"

**Shina** (over phone): "My apologies, Master Frederick. You are the second person to call me today asking about Julie-san."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Who else called?"

**Shina** : "One of the board members for ProStar. Ferris Drake III."

**Mr. Bassman** : "What's going on THERE?"

**Shina** (over phone): "Julie-san apparently proposed something to the Board of Directors yesterday which was unusually out-of-character for her." (beat) "Is there something which *you* have noticed?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Bob took her out on a date last night to see me play."

**Shina** (over phone, beat): "It is sad when we both regard their being on a date to be a hallmark of abnormal behavior."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Yeah, considering she'd hit him rather than say 'yes' to being asked on a date..."

**Shina** (over phone): "She asked HIM, Master Frederick!"

(shocked pause)

**Mr. Bassman** : "What?"

**Shina** (over phone): "When the object of his unrequited love asks him out on a date, can you imagine any *other* answer from Master Robert than 'yes?'"

**Mr. Bassman** : "What is WRONG with her?"

**Shina** (over phone): "I am not sure, but it seemed to start after her interview with a _Forbes_ magazine reporter three nights ago."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Where did that take place?"

**Shina** (over phone): "At a hotel in the office park where ProStar is located." (beat) "There is one other thing you need to know which I have already told Mr. Drake."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Go on."

**Shina** (over phone): "Two nights ago, I received a panicked call from Julie-san. She claimed to be held hostage by an unknown female in the hotel suite in which she had her interview the previous night. By the time I could get to the hotel, she was on the lobby level claiming that a male ProStar employee who was not Master Robert had attempted to molest her."

**Mr. Bassman** : "That's... odd."

**Shina** (over phone): "That is what Mr. Drake said when I told him."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Could the reporter have drugged or mind-controlled Julie?"

**Shina** (over phone): "Without Master Vikon here it would be quite impossible to determine that directly."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Then what CAN we do?"

**Shina** (over phone): "I gave Mr. Drake the name of the reporter so he could call the magazine and find out more. Could you call Master Kent and bring him up to speed?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "I've already talked to him. He told me to call you."

**Shina** (over phone): "He needs to know what we all know now."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Perhaps we should wait for Mr. Drake to get done calling the magazine?"

**Shina** (over phone): "I will call you as soon as I know something, Master Frederick."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Thank you, Shina."

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor, Lakewood Village, TX. Friday, after work)

(Bob walks out of the Mud Room as Faux!Julie gets done looking down the hallway toward the Laundry Room and Shina's apartment)

**Faux!Julie** : "Good thing you drove us today, Nerd-boy. Shina's holed up in her office on the phone."

**Starforce** : "That's not like her."

(Merlyn saunters out of the kitchen and freezes when he sees Faux!Julie. His tail puffs out, he arches his back, and he starts to hiss and yowl at Faux!Julie)

**Starforce** : "MERLYN! STAND DOWN!"

(tense pause punctured by Merlyn growling and yowling, which finally ends with him running behind Bob and into the Mud Room. The sound of him running up the stairs to the Guest Apartment is like an avalanche)

**Faux!Julie** : "I thought he liked me!"

**Starforce** : "I thought so, too."

**Faux!Julie** : "Why is he acting like that?"

**Starforce** (starting to wander toward the Great Room): "I dunno. I thought at first it had something to do with you letting us out of the Guest Apartment on Wednesday and he'd get over it." (beat) "If anything, it's gotten *worse*."

**Faux!Julie** (looking toward the Mud Room): "Merlyn will get over it."

**Starforce** : "You keep telling me that."

(by now, Bob and Faux!Julie are by the piano in the Great Room. Bob sits down at the piano almost automatically)

**Starforce** (to Faux!Julie, resting his fingers on the keyboard): "What is your pleasure, my lady?"

(Faux!Julie giggles)

**Faux!Julie** : "Something you played for me in World War Two?"

**Starforce** : "My pleasure."

(he reaches out to touch Faux!Julie's hand. She flinches out of reach)

**Starforce** : "Okay, that's more normal for you."

**Faux!Julie** : "Sorry. I'm... uh, germophobic."

**Starforce** : "Der Verlust liegt bei Ihnen" /* the loss is yours */

**Faux!Julie** (giggling): "GERMO-phobic, Nerd-boy, not GERMAN-phobic!"

(Bob smiles before turning his attention to the piano)

* * *

(Concourse D, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Late Friday evening)

(carryover over one shoulder and a small suitcase in one hand, Ted strides away from the gate. Kent is already waiting for him)

**Ranger** : "Kent! What's wrong?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Plenty. I'll bring you up to speed while we go to your car."

**Ranger** (resuming his walk): "Is this about Julie?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Yes."

**Ranger** : "How did *you* find out?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Through a long chain of phone calls and odd behavior a lot of us have been piecing together all day today."

**Ranger** : "Start at the beginning."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Okay. Last night, Julie asked Bob out on a date, where they were seen by Bowser."

**Ranger** (beat): "By itself, odd but not a cause for concern."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "When Bowser told me this morning, I told him to call Shina to see if anything odd had been happening in either Julie's or Bob's life recently. He apparently reached her right after a board member of your company had talked with her about something happening at ProStar."

**Ranger** : "My father said that he was going to get Ferris Drake to contact Shina when we talked last night..."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Based on something Shina had told him which happened on Wednesday night, Mr. Drake called _Forbes_ magazine to talk to the reporter who apparently had an interview scheduled with Julie on Tuesday night."

**Ranger** : "Yes, Samantha Alford. She met Julie and I very briefly before I left for the airport on Tuesday..."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Whoever it was that you met WASN'T Samantha Alford."

(shocked pause)

**Ranger** : "That's *impossible*."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "The staff at _Forbes_ INSISTED that Ms. Alford had been found in a coma on Monday night and woke up in a Jersey City hospital Tuesday night. She never *went* to Dallas!"

**Ranger** : "Then who did *I* meet? Who did Julie sit down with for that interview?!?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "We don't know, yet. But we should find out, one way or another, by tomorrow."

**Ranger** : "Why is that?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Because whoever is masquerading as Samantha Alford is *still* checked in at the Granite Park Hilton!"

**Ranger** : "Then let's grab Vikon and go there tonight!"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "We... might want to wait until tomorrow morning."

**Ranger** (annoyed): "Why?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Vikon isn't back in Dallas yet. Mr. Snyder's semi threw a tire outside Durant, OK late this afternoon."

**Ranger** : "CRAP!"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Relax, Ted. If they aren't underway by tomorrow morning, I can retrieve Vikon by teleport. We'll also have Bowser available, too."

**Ranger** : "What if we DON'T find the fake Ms. Alford tomorrow? She could bail out on us tonight..."

**Spiritual Warrior** (ducking into a men's room they are passing): "In two seconds, she will have to get by me to do that. Get some rest, and I'll be in touch tomorrow morning."

(he vanishes into the restroom, then there is a brief flare of power reflected off the tiles)

**Ranger** (beat, muttered): "You leave town for three days and THIS is what happens!"

* * *

(Hilton Dallas/Plano Granite Park, Plano, TX. Saturday Morning)

(Ted, Bowser, and Vikon stride up to Kent in the hotel lobby. Ted is in his element, snapping out orders rapid-fire)

**Ranger** : "Sage, switchboard. Bowser, go to the 14th floor and spot an LZ for Kent. Kent, you and Vikon join him once he does and break into suite 1401. I'll stop Ms. Alford if she's already heading for the lobby."

**Mr. Bassman** (nodding): "On it."

(Bowser takes the first available elevator and heads up to the 14th floor. The others find a deserted meeting room)

**Spiritual Warrior** : ((what do we do when we secure her?))

**Ranger** : ((find out what she did to Julie, then see if we can reverse it))

**Sage** : ((you are assuming she is mentally controlling Miss Dormyer?))

**Ranger** : ((Occam's Razor, Vikon. I'm going with the simplest scenario that fits the data until I see otherwise))

**Sage** : ((you may have to sooner than you realize. I am sensing no psionic powers being transmitted from anywhere within the hotel building))

**Spiritual Warrior** : ((if Ms. Alford isn't a rogue psionic, then WHAT are we dealing with?))

**Ranger** : ((good question))

**Mr. Bassman** : ((okay, I'm on the 14th floor))

**Ranger** (beat): ((Kent, Vikon, get up there now))

**Spiritual Warrior** : ((right there, Bowser. Hold that gaze... Good. Porting in 3... 2... 1...))

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Kent and Vikon flash into existence on the 14th floor. A couple of doors later, they are in front of the one for suite 1401.)

**Sage** : ((I am sensing someone in the room. Comatose, not asleep))

**Mr. Bassman** : ((stand back))

(Bowser expertly shatters the latch with a sonic blast. Conjuring a magelight, Kent leads them into the darkened room)

**Sage** : ((on the bed))

(they walk over, and Kent holds the magelight over the body. Shocked pause)

**Sage** : ((Major Jameson. Has Ms. Alford left the hotel?))

**Ranger** : ((negative))

**Sage** : ((because Miss Dormyer is currently comatose in suite 1401))

(Bowser has located the closest phone in the suite and is frantically dialing. Tense pause)

**Shina** (over phone): "Dormyer Manor. May I help you?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Shina, it's Bowser! How long has Julie been missing?"

**Shina** (over phone): "What are you talking about, Master Frederick? I'm looking at her right now!"

(shocked pause at the Hilton end of the phone conversation)

**Shina** (over phone): "Master Frederick, are you still there?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Yes, I am."

**Shina** (over phone): "Is there a problem?"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Could you hold on for a moment?"

(Bowser looks at Vikon and Kent as he puts a hand over the microphone)

**Mr. Bassman** (whispered): "Julie's at her house! What do we do NOW?"

**Sage** (eyes glowing): ((the real Miss Dormyer is here in this hotel room. Not at the manor))

**Spiritual Warrior** (to Bowser, picking Julie up in his arms): "Have Shina keep her from leaving."

**Mr. Bassman** : "I'm sorry, Shina. Perhaps it would be best if we showed you what the problem is. Whatever else happens, KEEP JULIE FROM LEAVING until we get there."

**Shina** (over phone): "I don't understand..."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Neither do any of us. Bye."

(Bowser hangs up and steps next to Kent)

**Spiritual Warrior** (to Vikon): ((Ted, we're picking you up NOW and then teleporting straight to Dormyer Manor))

**Ranger** : ((here's where I am now))

**Spiritual Warrior** : ((Good. Porting in 3... 2... 1...))

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor. During Mr. Bassman's phone call to Shina in the previous scene)

(Bob gets up from the table in the breakfast nook and looks toward Shina's office and apartment)

**Starforce** (getting up from the table in the Breakfast Nook): "Shina's on the phone AGAIN?"

**Faux!Julie** : "I know. It's weird, isn't it?"

(Bob looks at the remains of his eggs over easy, bacon, toast, and hash browns)

**Starforce** : "Okay, then. What do we want to do now?"

**Faux!Julie** : "I really need to burn these calories off."

**Starforce** (walking into the Great Room): "A WORKOUT?"

**Faux!Julie** : "You don't wanna get fat, do you Nerd-boy?"

**Starforce** : "Well, if you put it THAT way..."

(the door to Dormyer Manor is blown open. Ranger, Mr. Bassman, Sage, and Spiritual Warrior are there, with Spiritual Warrior holding the real Julie)

**Starforce** (beat): "What the...'

**Ranger** : "Bob, step away from her. That's not Julie."

(Bob rapidly looks between Faux!Julie in front of him and the Julie in Spiritual Warrior's arms. Eyes wide, he backs away from Faux!Julie and around the piano)

**Faux!Julie** : "Kent, you're holding a clone of me that Biomaster made."

**Ranger** : "Who are you?"

**Faux!Julie** : "I'm Julie Dormyer! I run the Board of Directors for Daddy's company!"

**Sage** (eyes glowing): "She's lying. She is also panicking."

**Starforce** (internal monologue): [[think, think, THINK! Wasn't there a mimic in the last PRIMUS Superhuman Survey?]]

**Faux!Julie** : "Bob, help me! Vikon's mind-controlling them as part of a Varanyi plot..."

**Ranger** : "You should have stuck with the Biomaster clone-story. That was more believable."

(Bob has worked his way all the way around the piano to a point just behind Faux!Julie)

**Sage** : "She has Ladyhawk's physical skill set. She will be next to impossible to hit if we attack her."

**Starforce** (making his 'KS: The Superhuman World' roll, internal monologue): [[THAT'S the entry I'm trying to remember! Copycat!!]]

(he grabs Faux!Julie's arm)

**Starforce** (spinning her around): "Not if I have anything to say about it."

(Bob kisses Faux!Julie. Over the course of two seconds, Faux!Julie's body blurs and turns into an exact replica of Bob, an effect ruined by the fact that the new Faux!Bob is still wearing female clothes. Real!Bob collapses to the floor by the piano, drooling)

**Mr. Bassman** : "Thank you."

(Bassman NND knocks Faux!Bob out. His features swim and turn into those of a red-haired female)

**Ranger** : "Sage, restrain her! Avoid skin-to-skin contact!"

(Vikon mentally paralyzes Copycat)

**Starforce** (slowly getting up): "Aw, man. NOT one of my better ideas."

**Ranger** : "Turning her into you so we could take her out? That was brilliant!"

**Starforce** (holding his head): "I feel crappy. As in 'take the worst hangover you've ever had and multiply it by five' crappy."

**Ladyhawk** (on her feet, holding her head): "I hear you." (beat) "You mean you DIDN'T know that wasn't me all along?"

**Starforce** : "Oh, I should have. I'd seen all the clues -- Merlyn hissing at her, her refusal to touch me after coming on to me so hard -- but I refused to put them together because I WANTED to believe that you were actually interested in me." (beat) "Our mimic chose her targets better than she realized."

(Julie's mouth is open in shock)

**Starforce** (pointing): "Right there. THAT'S how the real Julie Dormyer should react to a statement like that."

(Julie hauls off and hits him for 2 BODY and 12 STUN. Bob lands on the floor again, CON-stunned as she screams and stomps off for the Master Bedroom)

**Starforce** (recovering, now holding his jaw): "Was it something I said?"

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor. Half an hour later)

(Copycat is being escorted into a PRIMUS van, still restrained. Bob is on the piano bench, an ice pack against his jaw as Sage debriefs the rest of the team)

**Sage** : "Ms. Culhane had been hired by VIPER to impersonate Miss Dormyer and take over the company from within."

**Ranger** : "She would have succeeded, too, if my father and Mr. Drake hadn't rallied the rest of the board to block her. Was there any more damage she caused?"

**Sage** : "Of a corporate nature, no. Had she been allowed a few months instead of a few days, the answer would be different."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "And her contact with VIPER?"

**Sage** : "Given to the local PRIMUS field office for follow-up."

**Ranger** : "Good." (beat, to Bob) "And you?"

**Starforce** : "Aside from the dislocated jaw, I'm feeling used right now." (beat) "I let my hormones cloud my better judgement and reasoning. I'm sorry."

**Ranger** : "But you didn't when it mattered most. Kent, put him out of his misery, please?"

**Spiritual Warrior** (touching Bob's jaw): "You should have said something earlier."

(there is a small flare of power. Bob perks up, his jaw no longer hurting)

**Starforce** : "Thank you."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Did you learn your lesson?"

**Starforce** : "If it seems too good to be true, it's because it is? My stepfather has tried to teach that to me all my life." (beat, gets up and turns for the Mud Room) "Back to exile for me. Later, guys."

(Bob walks off to the Guest Apartment)

**Ranger** (over his shoulder): "You really shouldn't hide in the shadows like that, Julie."

(Julie steps out of the hallway to the Master Bedroom. She is holding Merlyn, who is purring and kneading her shoulder)

**Ladyhawk** : "How did you know?"

**Ranger** : "Until just now, I didn't."

**Ladyhawk** : "I was wanting to return Bob's cat to him."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "That might not be a good idea right now. You should let one of us do it."

**Sage** : "Allow me."

(his eyes flare slightly. Merlyn chirps, jumps out of Julie's arms, and trots off toward the Guest Apartment with his tail high. He stops by Vikon long enough to chirp at him and rub against his legs before continuing on)

**Mr. Bassman** (to Vikon): "How do you do that?"

**Sage** : "I just talk to him. Merlyn is more intelligent than all of you will give him credit."

**Ladyhawk** : "But he's just a cat!"

**Sage** : "Who wonders why you treat Dr. Hawkins the way you do."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "As do we all."

* * *

(fin)


End file.
